This invention relates to a small-footprint opto-coupler and a method of manufacturing the same.
Prior art opto-couplers come in different configurations. Each such opto-coupler includes an optical transmitter, such as a light-emitting diode (LED), for transmitting a light signal, and an optical receiver, such as a photodiode, for receiving the light signal. Some of these opto-couplers typically include leads formed on a lead frame, and the optical transmitter and optical receiver are electrically connected to the leads using wire bonds in a wire bonding process. These wire bonds are susceptible to breakage during manufacturing, especially if the leads of the opto-couplers are subjected to rough handling.
Various configurations of opto-couplers and methods of manufacturing the same are known. By way of example, several of these are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,527 (Merrick et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,131 (Wijdenes et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,695 (Stein) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,559 (Spaeth et al.). There remains a need for an opto-coupler that may be easily and economically manufactured.